Natural rubber is produced by a rubber transferase (a cis-prenyltransferase). Rubber transferase uses allylic pyrophosphate to initiate the rubber molecule and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) to form the polymer. Rubber biosynthesis also requires a divalent metal cation. Understanding how molecular weight is regulated is important because high molecular weight is required for high quality rubbe...

I n the past 10 years, IgE-mediated allergy to natural rubber latex has become a significant health problem in industrialized countries, especially among health care workers, patients with congenital malformations, and children with a history of multiple surgical interventions. Curative treatment inducing immunological tolerance in formerly sensitized patients is experimental and not yet genera...

This chapter gives an introduction on the general aspects of cellulose, natural rubber and their bionanocomposites. A brief literature review on what has been done so far on the cellulose, natural rubber nanocomposites research area is also included in this chapter. This chapter also describes the structure, properties and characterization of cellulose as a biobased nanomaterial in natural rubber.

Carbon, silica etc are added to natural rubber as filler to improve the mechanical properties. In the present study, a natural filler lignin was incorporated into natural rubber which was coagulated by microorganism rather than conventional method of using acid and was tested for their mechanical and wear behavior. The advantages of natural fillers are their low density, renewable character and...

The angiogenic properties of natural rubber were evaluated in this work. We have used the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay (CAM) as a model to investigate the influence of the heating on biological activity in rubber membranes and in non rubber fraction as well. Results showed that natural rubber membranes can induce vascularization. It was observed that angiogenesis activity was maximum wh...

Cytotoxicity of 14 glove materials representing 4 natural rubber latex, 6 synthetic rubber and 4 synthetic polymeric materials was evaluated using dimethylthiazol diphenyltetrazolium (MTT), agar overlay and filter diffusion tests. Cell responses after contact with extracts of glove materials and contact with glove materials were assessed. One synthetic rubber glove (nitrile rubber) and 2 synthe...

latex allergy has become an occupational hazard among healthcare workers. atopy, intensity and duration of exposure have been recognized as predisposing factors for latex sensitization. frequency of sensitization varies among countries. so we decided to investigate the prevalence of latex sensitization and potential risk factors among healthcare workers in a general hospital. in a cross section...

MYB transcription factors hold vital roles in the regulation of plant secondary metabolic pathways. Laticifers in rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) are of primary importance in natural rubber production because natural rubber is formed and stored within these structures. To understand the role of MYB transcription factors in the specialized cells, we identified 44 MYB genes (named HblMYB1 to Hb...